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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

Darlington Jazz Festival: Gypsy Jazz Brunch & Triptych/Aga Serugo-Lugo - May 5


(Review by Russell)

An early start was required on Sunday for the festival goer determined to hear something of everything. A jazz brunch, a street jazz performance, a church 'service' and a big band blow out to end it all. The weather forecast suggested things would be marginally better and, by and large, that would prove to be the case.

A late morning train to Darlington meant your reviewer missed - only just! - the first set of the day. Emma Fisk and Dave Harris had been and gone a matter of minutes earlier, their duo set at Hash Bar on Conisclffe Road the first serving of an all things Django and Stéphane Gypsy Jazz Brunch


Following hot on their heels were Gordon Dyke (violin) and Shaun Henderson (guitar). The duo's short set encompassed more than the standard jazz repertoire with numbers such as Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke (a Ducal reference, of course) and, you'd never guess...the theme tune to the children's television programme Vision On

From Hash Bar it was a short walk to St Cuthbert's Church. On the way, the Northern Monkey Brass Band boys were spotted setting-up for their second street performance of the weekend. As the 'congregation' filed into the impressive St Cuthbert's Church the first half of a double bill - Triptych - completed a sound check ahead of a two thirty start. The trio, comprised of Paul Edis (piano, keyboards, clarinet), Paul Susans (bass guitar) and Rob Walker (drums, keyboards), had recently been in the studio over two days to record material for an album and two pieces from the Blank Studios' sessions were heard in the grand setting of St Cuthbert's. 
 
Pews were well populated for the second half of this Sunday afternoon service. Aga Serugo-Lugo (community choir leader, piano, vocals) arrived in Darlington amidst much hype. Much talk of the man being an inspirational workshop leader, would Serugo-Lugo live up to his reputation? On this evidence most definitely. A one-off meeting earlier in the day between the man and a disparate group of enthusiastic singers prepared all involved for this public performance. Serugo-Lugo's palpable energy and enthusiasm transmitted to the soulful choir as individual members stepped forward to holler and scat on numbers such as the spiritual Wade in the Water and Aloe Blacc's I Need a Dollar.  
Russell.

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